Journey to Jacmel

The day dawned bright and clear, and after piling into the rear of our Ford pickup, we headed off to the mountains, full of anticipation for a day of R&R and exploration during our journey to Jacmel.

After refueling at the junction with the mountain road, and enjoying the hustle-bustle of that place, we headed south and gradually rose up as the road-otherwise in great shape-twisted back and forth, up and down through rising foothills to increasingly higher and higher ridges.  As we gained elevation we also gained perspective, giving us a view of this place not seen below.  The air was cool, the people still-friendly, and the mountain vistas like a pastel painting of various shades 3-4 ridges deep.  The geology changed ridge to ridge, with barren rocky yellow marls leading to bright red lateritic soils, to deep loams and then rocky gravels around the corner, and quite high mountains off to the east.  Quite the visual, and geological variety! Being both a retired geologist and avid photographer I loved it.  

As we rose the vegetation also changed, and we soon encountered bamboo groves, arbutus trees, various types of pines, something like boabab trees, a wide variety of palms, arching-branched umbrella trees similar to the high plains of the Serengetti and even a huge skyward-reaching Norfolk Island pine.  Now where did that come from?  Although certain areas of the mountains are quite sparsely vegetated, I think that is more from rapidly-changing soil types that deforestation... but then again who can really tell?  In any case, there is lots of green throughout the area, though certainly not totally-treed like a tropical rainforest you might see in West Africa or Brazil.

Once we reached the crestal mountain-top town of Decouze about halfway to Jacmel we were slowed, then stopped by a bustling market.  The tropical fruits were abundant and vegetables at this elevation included more of what we in Canada might find - cabbages, corn, carrots and the like.  There were also the common goats, chickens and a couple of rabbits, which were new, and the requisite donkeys and scrawny horses used to haul the huge baskets and bags to market.  Marc it turns out wanted a couple of rabbits to raise in Grand Goave, though that didn’t come up till later when we were relaxing and discussing the drive over.  We’ll have to keep our eyes open.  

Shortly after the market we started our descent and eventually the azure blue and aquamarine of the Caribbean Sea came into view in Jacmel’s cove.  Quite a large braided gravel river enters the ocean at Jacmel, and for several miles inland it was being used for swimming, washing, doing laundry and washing vehicles, hopefully more of the former upstream and the later downstream, though to be truthful I think it was pretty much a hodge-podge.  Once across a major bridge crossing a tributary loaded with advertising signs, we entered Jacmel.

Jacmel is one of Haiti’s largest, 3rd or 4th in population I think and sprawls over low hills along the bay where the river enters the sea.  You can tell right away that it is different than PAP, and certainly Grand Goave as there are many two story, historic buildings with iron-wrought balconies and colorful painting reminiscent of the city of New Orleans in the US.  It’s a bit like walking through the French Quarter there, though most of the buildings are run down and earthquake damage, mostly cracking, is still visible here and there.  After New Orleans’ struggle with Katrina destruction it might be a toss-up as to which city is faring the worst.  

end of part 1...